Bedminster dissolves its Zoning Board

BEDMINSTER -- The Bedminster Township Committee dissolved its Zoning Board, shunning protests made by former mayors and current board members in recent weeks.

The committee voted 5-0 Monday in favor of the legislation, which will create a nine-member Land Use Committee, comprised mainly of the existing Planning Board.
Mayor Robert Holtaway, who unsuccessfully pushed for similar legislation last year, contends that since Bedminster is almost entirely built out, there is no longer a need for a
Planning Doard. But since the township cannot legally dismantle the Planning Board, the merger required Bedminster to dissolve the far more active Zoning Board, much to its members’ chagrin.

Holtaway pulled a similar ordinance prior to a vote last year because the committee was not unanimous in support of the measure, but said the inactivity of the Planning Board had become even more apparent since then. "You will find very very few ordinances proposed while I’ve been mayor have failed. That’s because I will not allow an introduction that doesn’t have support. I will not waste time processing things that have no future,” Holtaway said. “I don’t think I’d ever want to see an ordinance come in on a 3-2 vote. I feel like that’s cutting it too close.”

Though the committee vote was unanimous, the legislation has drawn fire from former Bedminster mayors Leo Johnson and Cheryl Rowden, as well as current Zoning Board members.

Dissenters argue that the move will diminish the separation of powers within the township because the Land Use Committee will be responsible for both proposing and granting variances on legislation on land use issues, duties that were separated with two boards.

Current Zoning Board members Grania Allport and David Johnson have also argued that Holtaway is seeking broader control of township government. As mayor, Holtaway serves on the Planning Board and will likely have a seat on the new Land Use Committee.

Holtaway and other members of the committee said the move has always been about streamlining government, not power.

“I don’t think anything is going to change,” said Committeeman Bernard Pane. “Who better than to grant variances on legislation than the people who crafted it?”